Ladder.



' PATENTED JULY 19, 1904. A. A. BAYLESS.

LADDER.

' APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 1B, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Patented July 19, 1904.

ALFRED AYRES BAYLESS, OF FRANKFORT, INDIANA.

LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 765,223, dated July 19, 1904.

Application filed August 18, 1903.

T etZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED AYREs BAY- LESS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Frankfort, in the county of Clinton and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Ladder, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in ladders.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of ladders and to provide a light, strong, durable construction designed for use on step-ladders, extension-ladders, and various other kinds of ladders where great strength is desirable.

A further object of the invention is to improve the means for securing the connecting cross-pieces to the side bars and to arrange the heads of the screws or other fastening devices out of the way without weakening the side bars.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of construction within the scope of the' claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a ladder constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken transversely of one side of the ladder. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken longitudinally of one side of the ladder. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the channel-plates.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 1 designate the side bars of a ladder, each of which side bars is provided at its outer face with a longitudinal groove 2, located equidistant of the front and rear edges of the side bar and preferably rectangular in' cross-section, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the Serial No. 169,936. (No model.)

drawings. The groove of the side bar 1 receives a metallic channel-plate 3, which is approximately U-shaped in cross-section at the bodyportion to conform to the configurationof the groove 2 and which consists of parallel sides 4:, a connecting-bottom 5, and longitudinal side flanges 6, extending from the front or outer edges or portions of the sides 4 and diverging inwardly and rearward ly and arranged in longitudinal kerfs 7 of the side bars. The longitudinal channel plates are constructed of flexible material, and the inwardly or rearwardly diverging side flanges 6, which are formed integral with the sides of the channel-plates, are adapted to be readily inserted in the kerfs of the side bars, and they retain the channel-plates in the central longitudinal grooves. By arranging the channel-plates in longitudinal grooves of the sides of the ladder the said side bars are reinforced and strengthened and are adapted to be constructed of much lighter material thanis otherwise possible, and a ladder of great strength and durability is thereby provided.

The side bars, which may be constructed of any suitable material, are provided at their inner faces with transversely-disposed clovetailed grooves 8, which receive dovetailed ends 9 of connecting cross-pieces 10, which are preferably in the form of steps, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings; but it will be readily understood that the reinforcing channelplates of the side bars may be applied to various kinds of ladders and to those having the ordinary rung as well as to step-ladders. The dovetailed ends of the steps are driven into the dovetailed grooves of the inner faces of the side bars and form a rigid structure, and the cross-pieces are securely fastened to the side bars by means of screws 11, which pierce the reinforcing-plates and the side bars and which are embedded in the ends of the crosspieces, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The heads of thescrews 11 are located in the longitudinal grooves of the side bars of the ladder, and by this construction and arrangement the heads of the screws are out of the way and a secure structure of great strength is provided. This arrangement also admits of screws having large heads and obviates the necessity of actually countersinking the side bars to receive the heads of the screws.

It will be seen that the ladder, which is light, strong, and durable, is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction and is capable of being rapidly and cheaply manufactured. Furthermore, it will be seen that the flexible side flanges of the channel-plates are adapted to be readily introduced into the kerfs of the side bars and that they retain the channel-plates in the longitudinal grooves, and thereby operate both as reinforcing and attaching means.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with the side bar of a ladder provided with a longitudinal groove rectangular incross-section, said side bar being also provided at opposite sides of the groove With inwardly-diverging kerfs spaced from the groove, and cross-pieces, of a reinforcing channel-plate consisting of a substantially U-shaped body portion seated Within and conforming to the configuration of the said groove and presenting an exterior groove, said channel-plate being also provided with longitudinal side flanges arranged at an angle to the sides of the U-shaped body portion and diverging inwardly and embedded in the said kerfs, whereby the channel-plate is positively interlocked with the side bar, and fastening means securing the cross-pieces to the side bar and located in the said groove, whereby they are protected, substantially as described.

2. The combination of side bars provided with exterior longitudinal grooves and having transverse dovetailed grooves at their inner faces, cross-pieces provided with dovetailed ends engaging the dovetailed ends of the side bars, channel-plates arranged in the exterior grooves of the side bars, and screws piercing the channel-plates and the side bars and embedded in the cross-pieces, the heads of the screws being located in the exterior grooves, substantially as described.

3. The combination of side bars provided with exterior longitudinal grooves and having transverse grooves at their inner faces, crosspieces connecting the side bars and fitted in the transverse grooves, channel-bars arranged in the exterior grooves and provided with rear- Wardly or inwardly diverging side flanges embedded in the side bars, and fastening devices piercing the channel-plates and the side bars and engaging the cross-pieces and having heads or outer portions located in the longitudinal grooves, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

ALFRED AYRES BAYLESS.

Witnesses:

ADRIAN SMITH, LAURA E. BAYLEss. 

